You knew I was going to read this eventually, given my big graphic novel kick and the number of awards this thing has been up for this year. Plus there's my New Yorker addiction...Roz Chast is a very funny and talented writer and cartoonist and you've almost certainly seen her work before. She recently published a one-volume graphic memoir about the death of her parents called Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? and its being long/short-listed for all the prizes.
I would call it tragicomic except that the tone can often be uncomfortably ambiguous, which is exactly what Chast wants. Her relationship with her parents was fraught with anxieties and baggage, and their slow physical and mental deterioration complicated an already tense situation. Chast is able to write about it with such grace and honesty, and her unflinching willingness to share her entire experience is really admirable.
